Hillsborough inquests: 'Failed CPR' may have led to the death of victim and four other things we learnt today, November 19

The pitch at Anfield, covered with thousands of bunches of flowers laid as a mark of respect to the many Liverpool fans who lost their lives at Hillsborough.

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* “Failed CPR” could have led to the death of one of the Hillsborough victims

Pathologists Dr Nat Cary and Professor Guy Rutty said the post-mortem for 29-year-old Jimmy Hennessy recorded a large amount of vomit found in Jimmy’s lung and airways.

Prof Rutty said the description raised the possibility that Jimmy, from Great Sutton, near Ellesmere Port, had inhaled, or aspirated, stomach contents while alive.

Dr Cary said: “I think we made a comment in our joint report which said his final mode of death may therefore have been as a consequence of failed CPR, accepting that ultimately this chain of events was the result of compression asphyxia.”

* There was a strong possibility a dad-of-one was alive after 3.15pm - the cut-off time for the original inquests

The court heard Carl Maltravers, a PC, had described seeing Jimmy’s arm twitching and his eyes open as he lay on the pitch between 3.16pm and 3.20pm.

Intensive care expert Dr Jasmeet Soar told the court: “I think there’s a strong possibility he was still alive at that point or only just recently his heart and breathing had stopped.”

* Earlier medical intervention could have saved victims

Judy Khan QC, representing some members of Jimmy’s family, said: “On all of that available evidence, it is right, isn’t it, that it is likely that an earlier intervention, earlier medical intervention, in Jimmy’s case could have saved his life?”

Dr Soar said: “Potentially, yes.”

Ms Khan also asked questions on behalf of the family of 21-year-old Steven Fox, from Birkenhead, who medical experts struggled to give an opinion on because of a lack of evidence.

Ms Khan said: “In light of the very limited evidence that there is in this case, you certainly can’t rule out the possibility that Steven’s life could have been saved with an intervention at an earlier point, can you?”

Intensive care expert Professor Jerry Nolan said: “I certainly can’t rule that possibility out, no, because I just don’t have any evidence to have a strong opinion one way or the other, so that’s got to be possible.”

* An 18-year-old’s might have been alive when he was removed from the pen

Footage showed Carl Brown, from Leigh, being given CPR on the pitch at 3.26pm.

Nick Brown, representing Carl’s family, said it was not clear how long Carl had been on the pitch before receiving treatment.

Questioning Prof Nolan, he said: “So it is in fact possible that Carl went into cardiac arrest on the pitch, following recovery from the crush and retrieval from the pen?”

Prof Nolan said: “That is possible, yes.”

* Photos of two victims appeared to show them alive minutes before the match was stopped at 3.06pm

The jury was shown a sequence of images of 19-year-old James Delaney, from Ellesmere Port, in pen three at about 3.03pm.

Dr Soar said: “Our view is that he’s possibly alive in those photographs.”

The court was also shown photos of 24-year-old Derrick Godwin, from Gloucester, on the terrace at 3.02pm.

Derrick Godwin

Prof Nolan said: “The fact that he stands reasonably clear of other people around him, in other words, doesn’t appear to have other people supporting his head in any way, I think the implication of that photograph is that he is still alive and conscious, because of the way he is holding his head.”